Towards a green economy

Towards a green economyStrategicareaCulturalheritageLinkageswith LocalEconomyTable A2-1: Drivers and likely implications of investment in sustainable tourism strategic areasSource: Author’s compilationSustainability drivers■■Tourist preference for experiences that involve contactwith authentic cultural landscapes■■Expectations from guests that their tourism operatorsrespect and protect traditional culture■■Increased awareness of World Heritage Sites■■Recognition and appreciation for cultural diversity■■Demand for more contact with local communities■■Greater number and variety of excursions in a givendestination■ ■ “Buy local” movement in food and beverages sector■■CSR uptake■■Public and private initiatives of local workers training■■Growth of specialised niches (ecotourism, rural tourism,adventure tourism, sports fishing, agrotourism andcommunity-based tourism)■■Development of infrastructure and supporting industriesLikely implications■■Respect and recognition of traditional culture, particularly in context of assimilationinto a dominant culture. Help to community members to validate their culture,especially when external influences of modern life cause the young to become disassociatedfrom traditional life and practices■■Conservation of traditional lands and natural resources on which the culture hastraditionally relied■■Help to reduce poverty within a community or cultural group. Increased opportunitiesfor young to remain in community instead of seeking alternative opportunities in citiesand towns. Meet the needs of cultural groups, such as health care, access to cleanwater, education, employment and income■■Reduced risk of losing unique cultural attributes■■Concerted efforts by tourism authorities, local officials and civil society organisationsto increase local content■■Responses by tourism operators and increasing use of indicators to track local contribution(which feed into tourism satellite accounts)■■Deepened supply chain in local economy, generating increased indirect employment■■Increased spending in local economy from income effects in direct and indirectemployee consumption and purchases■■Improved income distribution among industry stakeholders■■Decreased leakage (imports of intermediate goods and foreign workers)446